Winter Sonata
by kawaii-no-Jane
Summary: Waiting for her first love, Sakura Kinomoto misses her stop after dozing off on the bus. Upon awakening, she finds her head on the shoulder of a boy named Syaoran Li, a new student in her class.The 2 soon become close friends. However, as love blossoms...
1. Monday

**Disclaimer** - I don't own anything! Read and Review!

**Summary – Based on a Korean Drama: Waiting for her first love, Sakura Kinomoto is in her last year of high school. By chance, she misses her stop after dozing off on the bus. When she awakes, she finds her head on the shoulder of a boy named Syaoran Li, who has also missed his stop. As it ends up, Syaoran is actually a new student in her school and is in her class. Although the aloof Syaoran seems distant, he edges closer and closer to Sakura. However, as love blossoms and snow begins to fall, things will begin to unravel… and everything that seems to be, will truly be revealed….**

**_Winter Sonata – Monday_**

Monday mornings are never remembered.

But the moment I opened my green eyes, I should have known this Monday would be different.

It was just another ordinary day, waking up, putting on my school uniform, rushing down to eat breakfast….

For the past 17 years, my life had always been normal

But let me start from the very beginning…

I, Sakura Kinomoto, daughter of Fukitaka and the late Nadeshiko Kinomoto, am nothing special. I came to live in the small town of Tomoeda, when my mother died. I was only three years old. Since then, I've been living with my father, and older brother, Touya.

Ever since I arrived in this cozy town, I've been best friends with Tomoyo Daidouji, I met her when we were in kindergarten, and we were friends ever since. She lives in a big mansion with her mother, Sonomi. I heard her father died when she was only one. That's the one major thing we had in common, so I guess that's why we're so close.

Then there's Meilin Rae and Eriol Hiragazawa. Meilin is a pretty head strong person, although she doesn't live in a mansion like Tomoyo, she has lots of aspirations in her life, she wants to go to France someday, and study there after high school. I met her in kindergarten too, although it took a while before we actually became friends. It's hard to understand her personality sometimes. One minute, she can be so kind, and the next, she's snapping at you.

Now Eriol Hiragawaza on the other hand, lives two houses away from me, and is the only guy my brother Touya won't beat up. I met him the same time I met Tomoyo and Meiln, and when we were seven, he promised he'd marry me. Surprisingly enough, even after 10 years, he's still sticking to that promise. It's nothing personal, but Eriol just isn't my type of guy. Over the years, he's become nothing more than a very good friend, almost a brother! But I can't bring myself to tell him so.

I had no idea these people, including myself, would be trapped in a storm…

I usually went to school with Eriol and Tomoyo but for some reason, I woke up later than usual. As I picked up my cell phone, I noticed I had a new text message from Eriol. Apparently, he had a project that he had to finish up, so he decided to come to school early. Tomoyo had gone with him. I let out a sigh, Meilin never liked taking the bus to school, and she had probably already left by now. I couldn't deny it; I was taking the bus by myself. After I had headed downstairs, my father greeted me with a warm smile and a fresh plate of pancakes. Touya was also there was also there waiting for me.

"Do you want me to drive you to school? I'm heading over to work in five minutes."

"No, it's ok. I think I'll take the bus, I don't want you being late for work."

"Have it your way kaijuu."

"I'm NOT a kaijuu!"

And the discussion ended with Touya, a swelling foot, my father's quiet laugh, and my triumphant smirk.

As soon as I ate breakfast and kissed my father goodbye, I ran off to the bus stop. I almost though I wouldn't make it. Lucky for me, I was right on time and managed to find an empty seat in the back. I was exhausted from running around all morning, so I guess I dozed off.

When I woke up, I realized I my head was resting on someone's shoulder. When I looked up, I met the most amazing pair of amber eyes I had ever seen. I had fallen asleep on a boy, and a very handsome one at that. I mentally slapped myself; here I was again, the hopeless romantic waiting for her first love… I didn't want to think about that now. I looked at my watch and realized that I was late for school. To make it even worse, I was at the wrong stop!

I must have jumped suddenly because the boy I had fallen asleep on gave a bit of a grunt.

"It's about time you woke up. The moment I sat beside you, you fell on me like a sack of potatoes."

"Well, I'm sorry…"

"Whatever…."

Just who was this guy anyway? He was totally rude! But his sheer attractiveness made up for that. He had messy chestnut hair, tanned skin and a nice lean body. I had to admit that… Wait, what was wrong with me? I had to get to school! Shaking my head as I got off the bus, I noticed the boy had followed me. I looked around, I was half an hour away from the school, and that was if I ran majority of the way. I sighed, smoothing my long auburn hair behind me.

Why of all people did this happen to me?

A masculine voice snapped me back to reality.

"Are you just going to stand there all day?"

"No, I need to go to school."

"You'd better get going; you're late enough as it is."

"Don't you think I knew that already?"

"Well, sorry for trying to help you!"

What an ass, when I tried to be nice, he acted like a total jerk and now he was blaming me for my grouchy mood!

"Who the hell are you anyway!"

"I'm Syaoran Li; I came from Hong Kong to stay here for a while with my mother. I'm headed to school too, but the problem is, I lost the directions..."

A bright blush stained his cheeks. Ah, so Mr. Tough Guy wasn't emotionless after all. I almost snickered.

"There's only high school in this town, where I go."

"How far is it?"

"Half an hour if we walk…"

"Then I guess I don't have a choice."

With a sigh, Syaoran pulled out a cell phone and dialed a number.

"Wei, pick me up."

A few minutes later, I found myself in a sparkling limo, bigger than Tomoyo's. In less than five minutes, Syaoran and I stood in front of Tomoeda High.

"So, this is it…"

"Yeah… I should be getting to class…."

I had a mental image of the teacher making me do a dance in front of the whole class.

"Yeah, I'd better get going too, I have to find out where my class _is_."

"It was nice meeting you, thanks for the ride."

I really wanted to kick myself; it wasn't exactly a nice meeting at all. More like a mix of hell and detention combined. They were pretty much the same thing, but I didn't really give a damn right now. I was late for class and the teacher would be really pissed…

Syaoran gave a grunt in reply.

"I never caught your name."

"It's Sakura, Sakura Kinomoto."

"I'll remember that… I'll see you around… Sakura…."

Then he turned away and walked into the school, disappearing down one of the hallways.

I walked in the opposite direction and ran up the stairs to my classroom. All eyes fixed on me when I came in and I could feel my face getting hot.

"Kinomoto-san! You're late!"

"I'm sorry Sensei…"

"Why are you late?"

"I missed my stop sir…"

"Next time Kinomoto, I'd advise you to stop daydreaming and pay closer attention!"

"Yes Sensei…"

"You have detention with me today after school. Go sit down, and ask Eriol what you missed."

There was silence as I picked up my things and walked over to my seat. Tomoyo gave me a reassuring look as I walked past her seat, while Meilin gave me a smug smile. Eriol's attention flickered from the teacher to me in a heartbeat.

"So, Sakura, you sleep late?"

I poked his shoulder as I sat down.

"No, I fell asleep on the bus…"

Eriol couldn't stifle his laughter, but shut his mouth as soon as sensei gave him an evil glare from behind his glasses. As we discussed what I had just missed, we didn't notice the door open or the person who stepped inside.

I had just resolved not to tell Eriol about my encounter on the bus. He'd be jealous, not to mention angry. Too bad I had decided a little late.

When I looked up, I choked back a gasp. There, standing in the doorway, was the boy I had met on the bus. Syaoran Li….

To be continued….

As some of you may have noticed, this is chapter has been revised, and I'm also planning to revise the later chapters as well. So, stay tuned! A big thank you to everyone that's reviewed these past chapters, I'm really grateful. Thanks for being so patient with the updates.


	2. Lonely Memories

Wow I can't believe the reviews that came in! Thank to everyone who reviewed! You guys are the best! I would like to thank the following for their support! KawaiiBell, kit, Simplicity, court, fruitz-kandi, sweet- captor, kirby, Namiko-Daughter of Sekhmet, babybluestarangel, FanficPixie, YingFa-lilWolf-Lover, anjuilet, Mewling, Larry, ayami-chibi chibi and jc398. If I missed you, make sure to tell me!

**Disclaimer** - I don't own anything! Read and Review!

**Summary – Based on a Korean Drama: Waiting for her first love, Sakura Kinomoto is in her last year of high school. By chance, she misses her stop after dozing off on the bus. When she awakes, she finds her head on the shoulder of a boy named Syaoran Li, who has also missed his stop. As it ends up, Syaoran is actually a new student in her school and is in her class. Although the aloof Syaoran seems distant, he edges closer and closer to Sakura. However, as love blossoms and snow begins to fall, things will begin to unravel... and everything that seems to be, will truly be revealed... **

Chapter Two – Lonely Memories

"Sakura, are you okay?"

Eriol's hand was on my shoulder, gently shaking me. Syaoran, the boy I had just met this morning... who I had left behind a few moments ago, was here. But why? He looked in my direction, nodding as though he understood. He must have been surprised as well, because his eyes flashed at the sight of me looking at him. All of a sudden, sensei's voice broke the silence.

"Ah! You must be the new student, Syaoran Li! I've been expecting your arrival. Class, stand up and meet your new fellow classmate."

Fellow classmate? This had to be some kind of joke... We did as we were told. I bowed, not taking my eyes off him for a second. Then Sensei spoke again.

"Syaoran, why don't you sit beside Sakura? She's the girl sitting there in the back corner."

Eriol's hand went up.

"But Sensei, I'm already sitting beside Sakura."

"I'm aware of that, which is why you'll be moving to the other side of the classroom."

I saw Eriol's hands ball into fists and his cheeks turned a deep shade of red. No doubt about it, Eriol was pissed…

"Hai...Sensei..."

"Good, now shall we get on with our class?"

As the teacher continued to talk about the day's lesson, Syaoran headed over to his new seat beside me. He didn't say anything as he sat down, he only took his books out and began writing down the notes sensei had put on the overhead.

I realized my mouth was hanging open and I closed it. The rest of the class, I couldn't help but steal glances at him. What was wrong with me? During lunch as I was waiting for Tomoyo and Eriol, I noticed him sitting at the fountain, eating. He didn't seem to have a care in the world, his hair was being blown about by the wind and his uniform was slightly open. I couldn't take my eyes off him... Then he looked in my direction.

I felt myself stiffen.

"What are you staring at?"

Uh oh...

"Nothing."

Silence was the only reply.

I merely shrugged and make a move to sit down, but before had a chance, I heard a familiar voice call my name.

Eriol...

"Sakura!"

I couldn't help but smile. I used to live in Osaka, but when my mother died, Dad couldn't stand our old house any longer. He said there were too many memories of her in it. So we moved here, to Tomoeda. I can't say I miss our old home terribly, but my mother was the biggest loss I've ever had. I remember her laugh, the way she'd take me in her arms when I was lonely and scared, the way she'd look at Dad with that smile on her face... then she went away...for good... Touya didn't want to talk about her very much, since he was older; he had more memories of her than I did. More memories meant more pain... But when I came here, everyone was so welcoming, as if we belonged there in the first place. Dad got a job as a professor in one the nearby colleges and Touya and I grew up here. Eriol has always been around, even after all these years.

"Hey! Where's Tomoyo?"

"She went off to practice for the upcoming concert. She's singing remember?"

"Oh… I kind of forgot about that. Have you eaten yet?"

We started to walk away from the fountain, and for a brief second, I though I saw Syaoran's eyes flash again. But I ignored it, and walked off.

"No, I was looking for you so we could eat together."

"It's ok, I think I have to go home anyway, tell Tomoyo to call me when she gets home."

Eriol's shoulder's sagged slightly, the smile had vanished from his face.

"Oh… ok, I'll see you tomorrow morning. I'll walk you to school."

The smile was back again, although this time, it seemed forced.

"Sure, I'll see you around."

I walked off, walking fast to save time and get home faster. I had a lot of homework to do, people to think about. Speaking of people...

"Hey!"

Was that who I thought it was? God, why now?

"HEY! I'm calling you Kinomoto!"

What the hell? Kinomoto? What was this?

"KINOMOTO!"

I turned around to meet a red faced Syaoran, sweat dripping off the end of his nose.

"Don't you know your own name?"

"Well let's see, my name isn't Kinomoto, its Sakura, last time I checked."

"Whatever, look, I need your help."

"With what?"

"Can you let me borrow your math notes? Your friend Eriol wouldn't lend them to me, and you're probably the only one I kind of know in this class. So, will you help me?"

"Why didn't you copy them down when we were sitting together?"

"Too lazy."

"Well that's not my problem is it?"

"Please?"

"Fine, give them back to me tomorrow."

"Whatever, thanks a bunch Kinomoto!"

"My name is Sakura!"

"Whatever."

And there goes the asshole... Surprisingly enough, I found myself smiling. That was a first. Usually, I never lent my notes to anyone. I guess I don't trust them enough, but there was something about him that made me go soft.

This guy was strange, but he had a mysterious quality about him that made me really wonder what he was about. I couldn't stop thinking about those eyes...Shaking myself from my thoughts, I walked home. It had been a long day...

When I got home, Dad was still at work and Touya had gone out with his girlfriend, so I was all alone. I don't know why, but I felt so tired after today, I just couldn't do any work without my eyelids flickering closed. I gave up after two hours, and yet no one was home. Sleep washed over me like a wave, and the last thing I remembered was falling asleep on my soft mattress...

_"Sakura, come sit with me at the piano, I'm going to show you how to play this song... when you play this song, think of me...it's called, 'The First Time.'"_

_"Sakura... Sakura... why are you crying?" _

_"Mommy?" _

_"Yes, honey I'm here..." _

_'What's wrong Mommy? Why did Daddy say you're going away?"_

_"Because I am sweetheart..." _

_"Why? Can I come?"_

_"No... you can't come with me... you have to stay with Daddy, Touya and Tomoyo. They'll need you when I'm gone..."_

_"But... I want to stay with you!" _

_"Sakura, come here, Mommy and Daddy have to have a talk." _

_"Nadeshiko, don't cry...you'll always be in our hearts... I'll make sure they remember who their mother was..." _

_"Mommy! I love you! Don't leave me!" _

_"I'm sorry Sakura..." _

_"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to remember Nadeshiko Kinomoto...loving mother and wife...may she remain in our hearts forever...ashes to ashes...dust to dust..." _

_"Where are we going Daddy?" _

_"We're going to Tomoeda."_

**_'Mother... I miss you...'_**

To be continued?


	3. The Beginning

Disclaimer - I don't own anything! Read and Review!  
  
Summary – Based on a Korean Drama: Waiting for her first love, Sakura Kinomoto is in her last year of high school. By chance, she misses her stop after dozing off on the bus. When she awakes, she finds her head on the shoulder of a boy named Syaoran Li, who has also missed his stop. As it ends up, Syaoran is actually a new student in her school and is in her class. Although the aloof Syaoran seems distant, he edges closer and closer to Sakura. However, as love blossoms and snow begins to fall, things will begin to unravel... and everything that seems to be, will truly be revealed...  
  
Chapter Three – The Beginning  
  
Eyes fluttering open, I realized that I was tucked in bed, my light was off, and Kero, my cat, was snuggled beside me. I looked at the clock, for once in my life, I had actually woken up early and ahead of everybody! Getting out of bed, I stretched and began to get ready for school. I let out a yawn; maybe waking up early wasn't such a big accomplishment after all... Heading downstairs, I bumped into Touya on my way to the kitchen.  
  
"Good morning Kaijuu!"  
  
Touya earned a hard stamp on his foot, I didn't hear anymore from him after that. Sometimes, brothers can be so annoying. Touya is already in college, and he still calls me a 'little monster.' Dad came down a few minutes after me, greeting me with a kiss on the cheek and beginning to cook pancakes like he did every morning. The smell of pancakes began to walf in the kitchen, and I could feel my mouth water with hunger. I decided not to wait for Tomoyo and leave early; after all, I didn't want to be late again.  
  
"Bye Sakura, have a good time at school!"

"See you later Dad! Bye Touya!"  
  
My older brother merely nodded at my goodbye, he was still upset over the foot-stomping... Good.  
  
Running was always part of my morning routine without meaning to be, I just loved to feel the wind in my face, my jacket flying in the air with me as I ran. It gave me a look into what a bird feels when it takes flight, it is free... I ran to the bustop just in time and sat in my spot at the back. As the bus began to move, I heard yelling outside, apparently, some 'crazy kid' was trying to stop the bus so he could get on. When it finally stopped, an all too familiar face greeted my vision. Syaoran.  
  
"Kinomoto, good thing I caught you here!"  
  
He dumped my math notes into my lap. Surprisingly, they were still in good condition, just as they were when I lent them to him.  
  
"Thank you for giving them back."

"Whatever, why would I want to keep your notes for anyway?"  
  
There he goes again, ticking me off! I turned my head to the window so I wouldn't have to look at him. My hair was messed up, I hadn't done all my homework, I was tired and last but not least, he was such a jerk.  
  
"Hey, are you upset or something? Sorry if you got offended. Geez, you really aren't used to this are you?"  
  
I just shrugged and sat there in silence for the rest of the ride. I walked off the bus without him and headed to class. The hallways were clean and shiny in the morning, but near the end of the school day, they were as dirty as a child after playing in the mud... I heard someone following me, so I turned around. Eriol greeted me with an upset expression on his face.  
  
"Sakura, where were you? I went to pick you up this morning, but your dad said you already left. Didn't you remember we were supposed to go to school together today?"

"Sorry, I wanted to come early, so it kind of slipped my mind. I'll talk to you at lunch okay?"  
  
I walked off and sat in my seat. A few minutes later, I felt Syaoran sit down beside me, we didn't speak to each other the whole morning. Then, before lunch began, he leaned down and whispered something in my ear.  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
Then he walked off, grabbing his things as he went out the classroom door. I shook my head, smiling. Then I ran after him.  
  
"You're forgiven."  
  
He turned around and smirked.  
  
"So does that mean you'll talk to me now?"

"If that means we can get along."

"Friends?"

"Friends."  
  
Syaoran's POV  
  
I don't know what made me so soft, usually, I don't give a shit whether girls like her like my attitude or not, I'm me, take it or leave it. This is probably one of the reasons why my family has such a hard time getting along with me. But hey, when you got it, you got it right? I was partly telling the truth to Sakura when I first met her. I am from Hong Kong, it's just that I'm not with my mother. The only guardian with me is our butler and trusted friend, Wei. Why? Because I left home. I'm sick of all this bullshit; I had to get out... Ever since I was a little boy, they always expected something from me. At the age of five, I was put into martial arts training. Day and night, my instructor taught me what I needed to learn. If I got it right, it earned me a rest, but when I didn't do well, it earned me several more hours of training. It didn't matter if it was late at night. I always had to be perfect. Wouldn't you get tired too if you've been taught to hold spoons, knives, and forks properly? Learning to say the right things and responsibilities at the age of seven isn't easy.  
  
You might ask, what the hell is this guy talking about? Well, I'm not just some guy who came to Japan for a vacation. I came here to get away, because you see, I am the next in line to become the clan leader of the Li family. But I didn't come here just to get away... Maybe this girl, this Sakura Kinomoto, will aid me in my goal... but for now, I need to get closer to her and earn her trust...  
  
Sakura's POV  
  
For lunch, I decided to bring Syaoran along with me to introduce him to Tomoyo. Meilin had just come back from Europe after a two month trip. Her parents own a designer clothing business. Since she was small, she's always got what she's wanted. Even if she has a tendency to be rude or whiny, we just ignore it. Deep down inside, Meilin is really a good person; she just doesn't know how to express herself.  
  
"Sakura!"

"Meilin!"  
  
She wrapped me in an embrace, I smiled and hugged her back, laughing.  
  
"You miss me?"

"Of course! That's why I'm here!"

"How was your trip?"

"It was great, but Europe is pretty expensive."

"Meilin, I'd like you to meet someone. His name is Syaoran Li, he just came here a few days ago, from Hong Kong."  
  
Meilin looked away from me and turned to him. I saw a faint blush creeping up to her cheeks and she began to stammer.  
  
"H-hi... Nice to meet you."  
  
Syaoran merely nodded and extended his hand, she clutched it in her own, the blush only deepening as she continued to stare. The rest of the day, all Meilin did was hang around Syaoran, cling on his arm, talk about her trip to Europe with him. He didn't seem interested in what she had to say, but I guess he was too embarrassed to tell her to stop. The rest of us just sat there, wondering when she would stop.  
  
Weeks passed, Syaoran and I made it a habit of taking the bus together to school, studying together during class, and eating together during our lunch break. We spent time with all of out friends, including Eriol, even if it was pretty apparent that he disliked Syaoran immensely. I saw a change in Syaoran that I thought was strange and wonderful at the same time. He seemed more talkative than he was in the beginning, his true colors were beginning to show with every day I spent with him, and I was happy...  
  
One day, after the school day had finished, I was on my way out of the school.. Usually, Syaoran walked home with me, but today was different. He told me he had something he wanted to do before he came home. I though nothing of it, assuming he was in trouble with one the teachers, so I didn't pry. As I walked along, I happened to pass by the door of one of the old rooms in the school. I heard it was once a music room, but it was abandoned when a more suitable room was discovered.  
  
There was a soft, sweet melody that greeted my ears. It was the sound of a piano, and the song... was my mother's song... My eyes filled with tears. Not only was the song memorable to me, but the person playing seemed to put so much heart and soul into the song, as if they were divulging a dark secret in the crevices of their heart...  
  
It was fall when I first met Syaoran, and now winter was coming...I wasn't prepared for what the snow would bring to my life... I was naïve in a sense; I was blinded without even knowing myself...  
  
...

...

...  
  
And that was what made everything come tumbling down when the snow began to fall...

To be continued?

I am aware that this story is quite boring right now. Please forgive me! But please be patient. I cannot put all the action in this story right away. So far, I'm just trying to get Sakura and Syaoran closer. The next chapter will begin to help the story progress, so for some of my reviewers who have been saying its dull and boring, sorry, I can't cram any excitement in the first chapter. If I wanted to screw up the whole story and my readers I would. But I'm not. THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT REVIEWED! I will write longer chapters, just not yet. Thank you!


	4. Newfound Happiness, and Hidden Shadows…

A BIG thank you to all who reviewed! This time, I've tried to make it a longer length for you guys. I know I haven't been writing much, sorry!!! Thank you for your kind comments, feedback and understanding. As I said before, if I could make it more interesting for some of you (action-wise) I would, but this story has to go a bit slowly in order for me to get everything in place. My use of vocabulary is bad, but I will be revising this later on in the future, so please bear with me! This chapter gets a little bit better I hope. Please review!!! Thank you so much!

Disclaimer - I don't own anything! Read and Review!  
  
Summary – Based on a Korean Drama: Waiting for her first love, Sakura Kinomoto is in her last year of high school. By chance, she misses her stop after dozing off on the bus. When she awakes, she finds her head on the shoulder of a boy named Syaoran Li, who has also missed his stop. As it ends up, Syaoran is actually a new student in her school and is in her class. Although the aloof Syaoran seems distant, he edges closer and closer to Sakura. However, as love blossoms and snow begins to fall, things will begin to unravel... and everything that seems to be, will truly be revealed...

Chapter Four – Newfound Happiness, and Hidden Shadows...

Syaorans POV

It was one late October day at school, I was bored.

Sakura had gone off with Eriol to see Tomoyo rehearse during lunch break. No offense to Tomoyo, but I wanted something to do, to occupy me, so I decided to go off on my own and told Sakura I would meet her back in class after lunch was over. I supposed it was a gift from heaven to Eriol, because as soon as he heard I wouldn't be tagging along, an instant smile spread on his face. It was obvious on that smug face of his; he wanted me away from him and Sakura from day one. Stupid idiot. I began to roam the hallways of the spacious, old school, my mind wandering...

I saw a few people sitting down just chatting or eating their lunches. I caught a glimpse of Sakura's two friends, Chiharu and Yamazaki. I watched them closely. Chiharu was feeding Yamazaki some sushi, while he began to rant about some history lesson they had that morning. He was talking about something else as well, knowing him, and judging from the way Chiharu looked at her boyfriend...

Yamazaki was probably lying again.

I smiled to myself and walked on.

I saw other couples holding hands, heads bent together, whispering excitedly about their plans together for the weekend.

That was probably something I could never even begin to comprehend.

Relationships.

Somehow, although it wasn't a complex word, I couldn't find the depth of it, the true significance. I didn't understand why people wanted to spend so much time together; maybe it was because I had never experienced anything of that sort. I was always made to take lessons and such. My sisters tried to take care of me, and when I had free time they would often take me along wherever they went. Mother was always attending to business matters, from time to time, she found a bit of time to bid me goodnight or talk to me about my studies. But that was all.

So, as you can see, I wasn't used to socializing. It's not like I have a choice anymore anyway, I'm supposed to find a bride for goodness sake! How in the world was I, Syaoran Li, supposed to find a bride worthy enough?

Most of all,

How was I supposed to find a bride that would love me and not my money?

I guess I had been thinking a little too much, and I realized that the hallways were suddenly silent. Had everyone gone to class? Had I lost track of time? I looked at my watch; it was only 11:30. I had half an hour to go. Where was I?

I must have wandered off without even thinking about it. I had never been in this hallway before, and judging by the looks of the empty corridor, it was safe to assume there were no classes here either. Then I noticed a room with double doors, most possibly a gymnasium. Curiosity got the better of me as I walked towards it and pushed open the double doors.

Inside it was dark and foreboding, only a bit of light penetrated through the white, dusty curtains and it was silent as a tomb. It looked like this room hadn't been used in a long time. As I surveyed the objects in the room, I noted that there were several music stands lying in one corner of the room. Bleachers were situated nearby, guessing from the contents of this place, it had probably been a music room at one point. Sweeping a final, fleeting glance about the room, I noticed one final thing. There, in the shadows of the room, was a beautiful piano...

Just as I began to walk towards it, my mind drifted back to reality and I realized that it was time to back to class. I would come back later, for now, I had to go. I headed through the double doors of the dusky room and jogged back to class.

Sakura's POV

While Eriol and I had been watching Tomoyo rehearse for the upcoming concert, Meilin met up with us in the auditorium. She greeted us with a beaming face and a "Hello!" But as soon as she found out the Syaoran wasn't present, the beaming smile instantly turned into a frown. That was a classic Meilin expression... I turned away from her to hide my smile. So, she did have a bit of a crush on Syaoran! When I turned back to her, the smile had returned.

"I have an idea."

My smile was equally as wide as hers now.

"Really? What?

"Let's go out on a little 'camping trip'. You, me, Eriol, Tomoyo, Yamazaki, Chiharu and..."

She trailed off, fingering a few strands of hair that lay hanging loose over her shoulder.

"Syaoran."

I felt myself shake with excitement.

"Yeah! That would be great! Then Syaoran will be able to have some fun with us! When are we going to do it?"

"I don't know, do you think it would be alright to do it this week? We have a three day weekend, so it would be perfect!"

"Where would we go for this? That place near the lake, the one that's about half an hour from here?"

"There's nowhere else we can go that has a nice view of everything. Not to mention it's close to home, and our parents won't worry so much about us being away."

Meilin winked at me and walked off towards Eriol. Leave it to her to spread the news. I smiled and walked off to class, Syaoran would probably already be there, knowing how... punctual he was. I broke out into a laugh as I walked down the hallway. Punctual? Give me a break!

Syaoran's POV

As I walked into the stuffy classroom, Sakura greeted me with a big friendly smile.

"Guess what?"

I grinned in spite of myself.

"What?"

"Meilin is planning for all of us to go on a little trip. You could say it's like camping."

I looked at her in disbelief. Sure, I had heard of camping, but I had ever gone camping?

No.

"So... who's going?"

"Me, Meilin, Eriol, Chiharu and Yamazaki."

"Really, that's good. I hope you guys have a good time."

"You're coming too!"

"Er... I don't think so Sakura. I don't know the first thing about camping."

She didn't seem fazed at all by my statement.

"Don't worry about it; after all, we have Eriol and Yamazaki to help us. I'm sure they'll teach you!"

I doubted Eriol would help me, seeing he always avoided me. He would give a curt hello when I walked into class with Sakura, but I would always sense that it was forced. Sakura always tried to get us to talk to each other, but it would always be in vain. That Eriol was as tough as a rock. And I for one, did not plan on moving him.

"So will you come anyway Syaoran? Please?"

I looked into her pleading emerald orbs. I doubted it would be as fun as she thought. I mean, how is going into a forest and singing stupid songs fun? How were we going to eat decently? I shuddered as I imagined all of us eating tree bark... But as I looked into her eyes, I felt awful. I'd give this one shot, but if anything went wrong, I'd call Wei to pick me up immediately.

"Oh, alright..."

"Thank you!"

She let out a bit of a happy squeal and hugged me. After a few seconds of shock and registration, I tentatively hugged her back.

The rest of the day went by in a blur...

After school had ended, I headed back to the deserted hallway I had accidentally stumbled across when I had been wandering around that day. I inhaled the scent of the old room as I entered. I didn't know why, but I felt at peace here. Although the atmosphere wasn't exactly what you call cozy, it was comforting in a way I cannot describe. Look at it this way, you may go to another home to stay for a little while, they make you feel welcome, give you what you need. And yet, nothing is better than your home itself. This place felt like home to me.

I immediately strode to the piano, fingering the dusty ivory keys. I sat down on the seat, looked at my surroundings once more, and began to play my favorite song. The First Time...I lost myself in the music, totally unaware of who I was, where I was, what I had to do... Frankly, I didn't give a damn about anything, except playing the song with all the happiness, pain, fear and sadness in my heart.

You see, before he passed away, my father taught me this song.

"_You don't just play this song Syaoran... You play it with your heart and soul... Release what you feel inside... Fill the song with emotion, with your emotion... and that is what will make it beautiful..."_

I always remembered those words...

As I began to recall these things, I began to play faster, my mind and body immersed in the song and nothing more... There was only me, the piano, and the beautiful melody that haunted my thoughts...

I thought I heard a sound, the sound of someone walking... and then it stopped for a while. I continued; although I was aware that someone was listening to me play. Usually I would become tense and ruin the piece I was playing. This time, however, the aura I sensed was comforting and warm... like a blanket on a cold winter's day... Then the presence slipped away, and I was cold again...

As soon as I returned home, I began to pack my things for the camping trip over the upcoming long weekend. Homework could wait, for now, this had to be done before I ran out of time. To tell the truth, I was a bit excited about thing whole thing. I had never experienced a being out with friends, or even acquaintances my age. In fact, if I was ever to have an arrangement of that sort, it would be for business matters only. Besides, the people I met weren't half as interesting or amusing as the ones here in Tomoedea... Like Sakura... I shook my head; she was filling up my thoughts more and more each day. I was wondering if I was starting to feel something that wasn't there before... I turned to the awaiting textbooks. Right now, homework was my number one priority, and the topic of Sakura was forgotten...

That Friday, we met up in front of the school entrance, all ready to go. Lucky for us, Meilin's father agreed to drive us to the place we would be 'camping' for the next three days. The trip was about 20 minutes, excluding us hauling our things into the van... It was amusing to see all of us bringing tents and sleeping bags. The girls brought so many things, it made it seem like we were going to be there for a long time. I smiled wryly at Sakura, who was huffing as she carried her bags up to the van. As I offered to help her, she smiled with gratitude.

Meilin, however was seemingly very envious of this sudden attention, she began to cling to my arm tightly, whining about how she needed my assistance as well. Seeing the commotion, Eriol stepped in and took her bags. Annoyance, and jealously was all that was portrayed in her eyes, she said nothing more.

As we drove on, Tomoyo began to rummage around in small bag, and pulled out....

A video camera...

Everyone sweatdropped...Including me... Several voices broke out at once.

"Tomoyo, please turn that off.."

"Yeah, I'm not photogenic."

"I'm camera shy!"

"I'm... car sick?"

All of us turned to Sakura with our mouths gaping open.

A few seconds...

One...

Two...

Three...

And we all burst into a fit of laughter that lasted for five minutes straight.

We couldn't look at each other without breaking out into laughter again. I could feel my face feeling as hot as fire. I had never laughed like this before in all my life. And I liked it.

Meanwhile...

Two shadowy figures appeared in a dark room, bowing in front of a regal looking woman.

"Lady Yelan... we are pleased to inform you that we have found the whereabouts of your son..."

"The young heir to the clan... Li Syaoran..."

The woman, now introduced as Yelan stood from her seat, eyes flashing.

"Where is he?"

"He was spotted in Japan, in a small town call Tomoedea..."

"He is currently in Wei's care, living in a house away from the bustling heart of the town..."

"Do we have you're permission to retrieve him Lady Yelan?"

"No..."

The two figures looked up, surprised at this statement.

"But.. my Lady..."

"It's the perfect time! The sooner, the better!"

"We will wait a bit longer... just to get him comfortable... I promise the wage I owe you will be greater in sum... and a possible promotion for the both of you may also be in the balance... Don't fail me when the time comes... I will summon you... Leave now..."

"Yes My Lady..."

The two shadowy figures chorused in unison. They bowed once more, and disappeared in a cloud of blue smoke.

Yelan sat back down, a strange smile on her features.

"Soon. When you least expect it my son... we will come for you..."

Then the room was devoid of all people... as if there hadn't been anyone inside in the first place...

To be continued?

Once again, thank you for reviewing! I hope this chapter was longer and a bit better than the last three.


End file.
